Self Reflection

Noun - serious thought about ones character and actions

  Self-reflection is the practice of becoming aware of your feelings and mental contents in order to move forward and grow as a person.

It includes analysis of your thoughts and behaviours, both conscious and subconscious.

Conscious - thoughts you are actively aware of.

Subconscious - thoughts that may be happening beyond your awareness, often influenced by underlying emotions.

In reflection you can address if these acts / emotions are limiting or progressing you towards what you want to achieve.

 Many people are active in setting goals but are lacking in awareness of their own behaviours towards affecting the success of achieving that goal.

Self Reflection for habit change

Practicing reflection allows you the opportunity to acknowledge behaviours. You might find yourself thinking “why do I always do that?”.

At times these habits feel automatic, when in reality taking a step back and acknowledging the behaviour gives you the opportunity to create change.

Effective Self Reflection

 "Self-scrutiny applied with kindness.”

For self-reflection to be effective, you need to strike a balance between acknowledging your unhelpful habits / thoughts and maintaining patience and kindness with yourself.

When reflecting on your behaviour / thoughts, you are fighting against all your adaptive and evolutionary behaviours—your mind is hardwired to protect itself at all times.

“Self-awareness is defined as conscious knowledge of oneself; it’s a stepping stone to reinventing oneself, learning to make wiser decisions, and helps you tune into your thoughts and feelings. So often we place blame on externalities because it’s the easiest excuse, when in fact we should be thinking about our thinking, reflecting, trying on different perspectives, and learning from our mistakes.” (Paul Jun)

Task - Self Reflection Meditation (5-15 mins)

Reflective questions: at the end of the day, before you fall asleep, spend 5-15 minutes reflecting on your day and the choices you made.

Repeat this nightly.

Questions can include: 

• Did I work towards my goals today?

• Did I make choices that benefit or detract from my health?

• How did I respond to my emotions?

• Did I allow my emotions to dictate my behaviour?

• How can I create more success tomorrow?

• What am I grateful for?